Rejoice in the Lamb (Orch. by Imogen Holst)

Rejoice in God, O ye Tongues

Give the glory to the Lord,

And the Lamb.

Nations, and languages,

And every Creature

In which is the breath of Life.

Let man and beast appear before him,

And magnify his name together.

Let Nimrod, the mighty hunter,

Bind a leopard to the altar

And consecrate his spear to the Lord.

Let Ishmail dedicate a tyger,

And give praise for the liberty

In which the Lord has let him at large.

Let Balaam appear with an ass,

And bless the Lord his people

And his creatures for a reward eternal.

Let Daniel come forth with a lion,

And praise God with all his might

Through faith in Christ Jesus.

Let Ithamar minister with a chamois,

And bless the name of Him

That cloatheth the naked.

Let Jakim with the satyr

Bless God in the dance,

Dance, dance, dance.

Let David bless with the bear

The beginning of victory to the Lord,

To the Lord the perfection of excellence.

Hallelujah, hallelujah,

Hallelujah from the heart of God,

And from the hand of the artist inimitable,

And from the echo of the heavenly harp

In sweetness magnifical and mighty.

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

For I will consider my cat Jeoffry.

For he is the servant of the living God.

Duly and daily serving him.

For at the first glance

Of the glory of God in the East

He worships in his way.

For this is done by wreathing his body

Seven times round with elegant quickness.

For he knows that God is his saviour.

For God has bless'd him

In the variety of his movements.

For there is nothing sweeter

Than his peace when at rest.

For I am possessed of a cat,

Surpassing in beauty,

From whom I take occasion

To bless Almighty God.

For the Mouse is a creature

Of great personal valour.

For this is a true case--

Cat takes female mouse,

Male mouse will not depart,

but stands threat'ning and daring.

If you will let her go,

I will engage you,

As prodigious a creature as you are.

For the Mouse is a creature

Of great personal valour.

For the Mouse is of

An hospitable disposition.

For the flowers are great blessings.

For the flowers are great blessings.

For the flowers have their angels,

Even the words of God's creation.

For the flower glorifies God

And the root parries the adversary.

For there is a language of flowers.

For the flowers are peculiarly

The poetry of Christ.

For I am under the same accusation

With my Saviour,

For they said,

He is besides himself.

For the officers of the peace

Are at variance with me,

And the watchman smites me

With his staff.

For silly fellow, silly fellow,

Is against me,

And belongeth neither to me

Nor to my family.

For I am in twelve hardships,

But he that was born of a virgin

Shall deliver me out of all,

Shall deliver me out of all.

For H is a spirit

And therefore he is God.

For K is king

And therefore he is God.

For L is love

And therefore he is God.

For M is musick

And therefore he is God.

And therefore he is God.

For the instruments are by their rhimes,

For the shawm rhimes are lawn fawn and the like.

For the shawm rhimes are moon boon and the like.

For the harp rhimes are sing ring and the like.

For the harp rhimes are ring string and the like.

For the cymbal rhimes are bell well and the like.

For the cymbal rhimes are toll soul and the like.

For the flute rhimes are tooth youth and the like.

For the flute rhimes are suit mute and the like.

For the bassoon rhimes are pass class and the like.

For the dulcimer rhimes are grace place and the like.

For the clarinet rhimes are clean seen and the like.

For the trumpet rhimes are sound bound and the like.

For the trumpet of God is a blessed intelligence

And so are all the instruments in Heav'n.

For God the Father Almighty plays upon the harp

Of stupendous magnitude and melody.

For at that time malignity ceases

And the devils themselves are at peace.

For this time is perceptible to man

By a remarkable stillness and serenity of soul.

Hallelujah, hallelujah,

Hallelujah from the heart of God,

And from the hand of the artist inimitable,

And from the echo of the heavenly harp

In sweetness magnifical and mighty.

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.